Before The Dawn
by BlueEyedAuthor
Summary: Takes place between the 1st and 2nd stories, AU. Holmes chases Moriarty through a time machine. Chaos and hilarity ensue as Sherlock must battle an old enemy with help from an unexpected ally.


**A/N: This is my first SH fanfic, I'm so excited!**

**Prologue- Something Different**

"_Watson – I finally found out what Moriarty is using Blackwood's device for. It's to power some sort of contraption. I don't know how it works so I'll have to examine it. I will need you to come with me," said Sherlock._

"_Holmes… have you lost your mind? I have dinner with Mary and her parents. We are celebrating the engagement and making plans for the wedding," said Watson._

"_Reschedule. Surely they understand your professional obligations?" said Sherlock._

"_Yes – as a doctor!" Watson yelled. "I am not rescheduling, Holmes!"_

"_Fine," said Sherlock. "I suppose it doesn't matter to you that I require your assistance… you've been trying to be rid of me ever since you became engaged."_

"_Holmes… that isn't true," said Watson._

"_Is it not?" said Sherlock._

**SHERLOCK HOLMES**

_That was five hours ago. Now Sherlock Holmes was in an abandoned factory near the Thames trying to find Moriarty's machine. _

_When he saw the large contraption that Blackwood's device was attached to, he knew he had found it. There was a door on the machine. When Sherlock opened it, it appeared there was room for two, three people tops inside the machine. There was also a place to put in coordinates._

_Something Sherlock noticed was off was the numbers. They were not military numbers or numbers for anything else._

_They appeared to be years – dates in time. Coordinates for countries were also there but too many were listed for Sherlock to read in a short time frame._

_It was a machine that could send the occupants travelling through time and place._

"_Fascinating," Sherlock muttered._

"_Looking for something?" said a voice._

"_I believe I've already found it, Moriarty," said Sherlock. "This device you've built is a time machine."_

"_Yes it is," said Moriarty. "Moran!"_

_Sherlock noticed a thin man with a hat approach behind him. Before he had a chance to act, Moran swung a bat and hit Sherlock in the head with it. Both men watched as the detective crumpled to the ground. _

"_What now, Professor?" asked Moran._

"_Put him in the time machine – we'll send him ahead of us," said Moriarty._

_Moriarty typed in a random year and country, making sure the year was long after 1991 – after all, that was where he and Moran were planning to go._

**SHERLOCK HOLMES**

Where was he?

That was Sherlock's first thought when he came around. Whatever Moran had tossed him into was emanating the most disgusting smell… trash. He was lying in some sort of trash receptacle – but how to get out?

That was when Sherlock noticed he could easily climb out, which he did. He saw bright lights and bizarre transportation devices with people inside. Scores of young people were walking down the street and were dressed funny.

"Watson! Watson!"

Sherlock didn't know who was calling out his friend's name – the voice was female and definitely wasn't Mary, but at least Watson was here somewhere.

All Sherlock had to do now was find his friend so they could leave this place – whatever this place was.

"Watson! Watson!"

Sherlock found the source of the yelling. It was a young blonde woman who was wearing very little clothing. Was he in a brothel?

He followed the young woman. She would lead him to Watson.

"What are ya doin' ya sexy thang?" the young woman slurred.

She had to be drunk or under the influence of something even more nefarious than liquor – he never heard women talk like this. Not even Irene.

"I'm looking for Watson," said Sherlock.

"Follow me, hot stuff," the young woman slurred.

She led him down the street, and then ran smack into two girls. Sherlock noticed the two girls were dressed in costume, though their costumes were less revealing than that of their friend. One girl had auburn hair and hazel eyes, the other had thick brown hair and blue eyes that were strangely familiar to Sherlock.

"Watson!" the blonde slurred.

"Oh, great!" said the auburn-haired girl. "Beverly, how much did you drink this time?!"

"C'mon, Beverly. We're taking you home," said the brunette.

"Can we take him home too?" Beverly slurred.

"No," said the auburn-haired girl.

Sherlock found himself staring at the brunette. She looked a lot like Watson.

"But he was looking for Regina! Maybe they're together!" Beverly slurred.

The other two girls laughed.

"He is handsome," said the brunette. "Perhaps I did meet him somewhere and I don't remember."

Beverly and the auburn-haired girl snickered.

"I'm looking for Watson," said Sherlock.

"Found her!" Beverly slurred as she pointed at Regina.

"_John_ Watson," said Sherlock.

"Shit," said Regina. "Shannon, take Beverly and try to find the other girls. I need to talk to him alone."

"Let me know if he tries anything funny," said the auburn-haired girl as she dragged Beverly away.

**SHERLOCK HOLMES**

"Who are you?" asked Regina.

"I was about to ask you the same question," said Sherlock.

"There was only one person in my family named John – my late great-great-grandfather John," said Regina. "So I'm gonna ask you again – who are you and how do you know about him?"

"I'm Sherlock Holmes," said Sherlock.

"No you're not – the real Sherlock Holmes disappeared in 1891," said Regina.

"I am the real Sherlock Holmes," said Sherlock.

"Prove it," said Regina.

"You're in your early twenties. The costume you're wearing is meant to celebrate some sort of holiday, as demonstrated by the revelry in the streets. Your accent indicates an origin in the Southern United States – specifically, an Appalachian state such as Kentucky or West Virginia. I noticed you walking with a limp earlier. Due to your age it's possible that it's a birth defect or was caused by some sort of accident," said Sherlock. "We're also in what appears to be one of America's larger cities."

Regina looked down at her feet, glad she had remembered to cover her legs before going out. She was wishing that she hadn't worn heels, as it was a slight giveaway to the accident that had changed her life forever.

"You have proven yourself, Sherlock," said Regina. "Welcome to Chicago – I don't live here, though. I also have to show you something."

She took what appeared to be some sort of phone out of her purse. Sherlock vaguely wondered how it worked since it wasn't connected to wires. A tiny screen had the time and date, but it was the date that caused Sherlock to realize just how far he had time-travelled.

_November 1__st__, 2011._

**Please review, so I know whether or not to continue this.**


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